Brain Health is "Deeper: Than You Think

Brain Health Is Deeper Than You Think

By: Marcy Schoenborn

When you hear “brain health,” you might think of crossword puzzles, omega-3s, or getting enough sleep. But brain health is deeper than that. Every choice you make—from what you eat, to how you move, to what you scroll past on your phone—can ripple through your brain’s chemistry, subtly shaping your mood, motivation, and resilience.

The Chemical Symphony in Your Head

Your brain isn’t just a thinking machine. It’s a living chemical orchestra playing dopamine, serotonin, GABA, and countless other molecules that affect how you feel and function each day.

• Dopamine influences motivation, reward, and habit formation. Too little, and you feel flat and unmotivated. Too much, and you may feel restless or stuck in dopamine-seeking loops (think endless scrolling or compulsive shopping).

• Serotonin supports emotional stability and well-being. Sunlight, movement, and social connection can gently boost it, while chronic stress and poor sleep can deplete it.

• GABA calms your brain, acting like a brake on anxiety and overstimulation.

These chemicals don’t just respond to medications; they are influenced by your daily choices—often in ways you don’t even notice.

Everyday Actions, Deeper Impacts

• Your Diet: Highly processed foods may spike dopamine in the short term but can lead to blunted reward responses over time. On the other hand, nutrient-dense foods support the building blocks your brain needs for serotonin and dopamine production.

• Movement: Exercise increases dopamine sensitivity, meaning your brain gets better at feeling rewarded by normal life activities, not just big, intense dopamine hits.

• Social Media and Devices: Every notification pings your dopamine system, creating micro-moments of reward that can train your brain to crave constant stimulation, impacting focus and natural motivation.

• Sleep: Chronic lack of sleep disrupts serotonin and dopamine balance, making you more prone to anxiety and low mood.

It’s Not Just About Feeling Good

Many of us approach brain health only when we start to feel “off.” But these deeper layers are working 24/7, shaping not just your mood, but your habits, stress resilience, and capacity to enjoy life.

Improving your brain health means looking deeper:

• What habits are feeding your dopamine in unsustainable ways?

• Are you getting real-world social interactions that help your serotonin system thrive?

• Are you creating rhythms in your day that allow your brain to rest and reset?

The Takeaway: Deeper Awareness, Deeper Health

Your brain is not separate from your daily actions. It’s responding constantly, rewiring itself in response to what you feed it—physically, emotionally, and digitally. Brain health is deeper than you think, but that’s good news: it means small, consistent changes can create meaningful shifts in how your brain feels and functions.

You don’t have to overhaul your life overnight. Start small:

• Take a short walk outside.

• Have a real conversation with a friend.

• Eat a meal rich in whole foods.

• Set your phone down for an hour before bed.

These “small” actions are not small for your brain’s chemistry. They are the foundation of deeper brain health, shaping a more resilient, calm, and motivated you over time.